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Page 46
A faint color came into Alinor's pale face. "My dear, I cannot allow you to make such a sacrifice, nor to endanger yourself by gaining the king's hatred for my sake."
The flush receded from Ian's complexion, leaving it gray and tired; his eyes went blank and hard again. She had avoided answering him with skill and kindness, but there was no doubt of what Alinor meant in Ian's mind. "You do not understand," he said quietly. "I am not asking you to marry me. I am telling you that you must do so. I will take no naysay from you. There is no sense in raging. I do not mind if you do, if the raging will make your heart lighter, but I tell you there is no sense in it. Whatever you do, I will have you to wife."
"You are mad!" There was sufficient color in Alinor's face now, and her eyes were brilliant. She backed off, tensed as if to attack or resist attack. "Do you think I am some delicate court flower, some powerless, poor puppet"
"You are powerless against me." He did not move toward her, and there was no triumph in his expression. "Oh, I have heard you say a dissatisfied wife should search for love in her husband's heart with a knife, and I believe you would do itbut not to me, not when you know I desire only your good and your children's good. You can even call your men and have me thrust out of your keepyou can, but you will not. What would Adam and Joanna think when they saw the gates locked against me? What will you tell them? That I wished them ill? Even if you could bring yourself to lie to them, to destroy the love that has always been between us, you cannot stay pent in Roselynde. You must visit your other lands, especially in these times. You have delayed too long already in that duty. The moment you are out, I will have you. Will you order your men to kill me, Alinor?"
"Do you think I will love you for this?" she blazed.
"You may well hate me." His voice was very low. "I

 
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